Dimitris Papamichael | WatchedThis
Dimitris Papamichael
Acting
Biography
Dimitris Papamichael (Greek: Δημήτρης Παπαμιχαήλ 1934–2004) was a popular Greek actor and director. In 1965, he married Aliki Vougiouklaki, the so-called "national star" of Greece. The star couple remained married for a decade, co-starring in several films that marked the "golden era" of Greek cinema. Dimitris Papamichael's film debut was in 1956 in the (color) "Agapetikos tis Voskopoulas" by Elias Paraskevas. The very next year he made his first appearance in a Finos Film film with a small role in "Theia apo to Chicago" by Alekos Sakellarios and later in "I Kyra mas i Mammi" (1958) he met again Alekos Sakellarios, Orestis Makris and Georgia Vasiliadou. However, as he himself said, his first substantial film was "Teletaio Psemma" (1958) by Michalis Cacogiannis, also for Finos Film. Filopoimenas Finos was the one who would “pair” Dimitris Papamichael with Aliki Vougiouklaki in the cinema, choosing them to play together in “Astero” (1959). The couple became established in the public consciousness as commercial successes followed one another: “The Wood Came Out of Paradise” (1959) by Alekos Sakellarios, “Mantalena” (1960) by Dinos Dimopoulos and of course “Alice in the Navy” (1961) by Alekos Sakellarios. During the same period, Dimitris Papamichael starred in the films "Never on Sunday" (1960) and "Phaedra" (1961) under the directorial guidance of Gilles Dassin. He also tries his hand without Aliki in interesting productions such as "Lost Dreams" (co-produced by Finos Film with Damaskinos-Michaelidis, 1961), "Company of Miracles" (1962), "The Loustrakos" (1962), "Don't Fall in Love on Saturday (Kronos Film, 1962)", "The Red Lanterns" (Damaskinos-Michaelidis, 1963) but also in the film noir "Death Will Rise Again" (Finos Film, 1962) with the role of the demonic detective that clearly demonstrates the breadth of his acting range. The Dimitris-Aliki duo proves to be a guarantee of commercial success for the producers, while at the same time they become a couple in the theater and in life. They filmed together for Damaskinos-Michailidis the films "Heartbeats at the Desk" (1963), "Modern Cinderella" (1965), "My Daughter the Socialist" (1966), "Diplopenies" (1966), "The Brightest Star" (1967), "Ah This Woman of Mine" (1967) and for Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos the "Luna Park Girl" (1968), "Our Love" (1968). Gradually, Dimitris Papamichael leaves behind the type of handsome, elegant and kind-hearted young man, and chooses more "popular" roles, often utilizing his vocal and dancing abilities. The couple returned to Finos Film in 1968 with great successes such as "The Lady and the Tramp" (1968), "The Teacher with the Golden Hair" (1968), "The Fairy and the Boy" (1969) and of course with the legendary "Lieutenant Natasha" (1970). His performance in the film "Papaflessas" (1971) by Errikos Andreou is considered one of his top film works and is one of the roles that stood out to him. In 1974 he closed his cycle at Finos Film with "Dream Lovers" by Yannis Dalianidis with partner Zoe Laskari, and decided to devote himself to theater. However, in 1978 he could not refuse the offer of Gilles Dassin for a role in "The Cry of Women", while after two indifferent roles ("Wild Hens" and "Second Class Citizens") he closed his film career in 1996 with the film "Towards Freedom" by Haris Papadopoulos alongside Mary Chronopoulou.
Filmography Movies
Acting
Never on Sunday
An American scholar in Greece sets about improving the local prostitute with whom he is infatuated.
Alice in the Navy
Aliki is in love with someone who serves his duty in the greek navy. Wanting to see him, she disguises as a navy soldier and gets aboard her lover's ship. Things get more complicated when she comes accross the ship's captain; her father!
Towards Freedom
An actress who shone during the "golden age" of Greek cinema now lives far from the limelight, almost isolated, with only a few friends for company. Her decision to return to the stage, following a proposal from an old colleague, will bring her into contact with younger people, but also with ghosts from the past that haunt her, prompting her to reevaluate her attitude toward her desires and life.
The Red Lanterns
The inextricably intertwined stories of five sex workers who live in a brothel at Pireas harbor.
Δυο αγάπες δυο κόσμοι
Madalena
Madalena is a tough seventeen-year-old who is forced to take on her father's ferry business after he dies. She has her many brothers and sisters to support, and there is no one else to do the job. So she rallies her defenses and sets out to give her rival in the ferry business a run for his money. But at the same time, the rival's handsome son is starting to look better and better. Madalena refuses to acknowledge her feelings for him -- though how long she can sustain that denial is the question.
A Matter of Dignity
A daughter discovers her wealthy family is actually on the verge of bankruptcy and decides to charm a millionaire for his money in marriage. Soon she is torn between living a lie and keeping up appearances.
My Daughter, the Socialist
Liza falls in love with one of her father's employees. Her socialistic ideas about employment drive her to collide with her father and the sociopolitical status of the time.
1821 at the Cinema
In 1821, in Cinema, he records the cinematic representations of the Revolution from the first decades of the 20th century. until the present day. Despite the fact that the Revolution of 1821 constitutes the founding act of the modern Greek state, as a subject matter it is underrepresented in national film production. This is one of the points on which the research looks, which simultaneously examines the periods of concentration of films on the subject of the Revolution or, respectively, the periods of its collective silence. The purpose of the documentary is to study the ideological discourse and the cinematic language of the films with the theme of 1821, in order to highlight the function of the cinema as a carrier of Public History and as a factor in shaping the collective historical consciousness.
The Auntie from Chicago
Charilaos (Orestis Makris), a retired officer with very strict and conservative principles, raises his four daughters with... military discipline, taking care of their culture, their appearance and their good behavior. Despite all his desire to marry them, he does not leave them anywhere alone, as a result of which no man approaches them. His wife, Efterpi (Eleni Zafiriou), as well as his friend and neighbor Xenophon (Pantelis Zervos), make remarkable efforts to convince him to change his tactics, but he insists on his very conservative behavior. But when the conversation reaches the well-to-do sister of Kalliopis (Georgia Vassiliadou) who has been living in Chicago, USA for years, everything turns upside down. She returns to Athens and undertakes to modernize the general's house, as well as help the four girls (and her nieces) to be rehabilitated.
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